§ COLONEL MAKINSasked the honourable Member for Truro, If he will state to the House why, as there are seventeen Companies supplying Gas within the area under the Metropolitan Board, the legislation proposed by the "Metropolis Gas Companies" Bill is limited to only nine Companies, whilst the Parliamentary notices for the Bill included all Companies supplying the district under the Metropolitan Board of Works?
SIR JAMES HOGGSir, in answer to the hon. Member, I beg to state that although there are 17 companies supplying gas within the Metropolitan area, eight of them supply outlying districts, and are not subject to the provisions of the Metropolis Gas Acts, 1860. The Metropolis Gas Bill is an amendment and partial repeal of the Act of 1860, which expressly excludes from its provisions the eight companies alluded to by the hon. Member. I cannot enter more fully into the question at present; but I would remark that the company in which the hon. Member is interested objected before the Examiner on the ground that the Standing Orders had not been complied with upon the point referred to in the Question, but the objection was disallowed.